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Asante/Main article
Asante is a hyena who makes her first and only appearance in Friends for Life. Appearance Asante's appearance is unknown. Personality Unlike the other hyenas who appear in The Lion King, Asante is good and kind-hearted. Though she is suspicious of lions, due to her ancestry, she is an overall accepting character, as she readily accepts and befriends Kopa. She is very open and friendly, as well as outgoing and spunky. She is also considerably brave and loyal, as she rushes to Kopa's aid when he is in trouble. The two are inseparable, despite the gap between their species. Asante's good intentions and tender heart set her apart as the sole hyena who serves as a friend of Simba's pride. Information Asante is a young hyena cub who lived during the reign of Simba. Friends for Life When a disobedient Kopa wanders into the Elephant Graveyard, he sees Asante, a young hyena cub, struggling to escape a vicious constrictor snake. The front half of Asante's body is stuck under the ground, making it impossible for her to defend herself. As the snake starts to strangle her, she cries out for help. Mustering his courage, Kopa jumps into the fray and engages the snake in a fight. After flipping the snake away, Kopa gives Asante a chance to wriggle out of the hole. Upon seeing each other face to face, the two recognize each other as lifelong enemies. Despite this, Kopa introduces himself to the hyena and Asante gives him her name. She then thanks him for saving her from the snake. Kopa tells her that snakes don't scare him and Asante admits that poisonous snakes scare her. She explains to Kopa that she had been hunting for snake eggs when the constrictor caught her in the act. Kopa, impressed with Asante's knowledge, claims to understand all that she's talking about. Asante asks Kopa if he lives in the Pride Lands and the lion cub confirms this. Asante admits that her kind is not allowed to go there, since lions and hyenas are enemies. Despite this, she again thanks Kopa for saving her life, then admits that she must go. Kopa says good-bye and the two part ways. After returning home, Kopa thinks much about his new friend. He even admits his troubles to his mother, who tries to explain to her son that hyenas and lions are enemies, but to no avail. Many days later, Kopa is on a walk across the savanna when he runs into Asante. The hyena invites him to play and the lion cub eagerly accepts. Asante suggests throwing bones, but Kopa is disgusted. Asante then laughs and tells him that it was just a joke. She then suggests they hunt crickets. As the two play together, Kopa spots a line of ants crawling across the ground. He points them out to Asante and tells her to sit and wait. The hyena is confused, but obediently sits down and waits. Presently, a gecko approaches and eats up the line of ants. Kopa explains to his friend that no one can change the course of nature. Snakes and geckos could never be friends, and neither could geckos and ants. At Kopa's words, Asante takes the gecko and shoves him aside. She then proclaims to Kopa that she has just changed the course of nature, for she was now a friend of the ants. Kopa asks if it's possible for lions and hyenas to be friends, and Asante points out that they were friends. The two then run off together, happily playing among the savanna grass. Kopa and Asante meet each other more often after this. They play together and tell each other their secrets. Kopa tells his friend about a tree, which gives shade all day long, and Asante tells Kopa about a den with a great echo. But despite their growing friendship, neither dare to introduce the other to their family. One day, Asante tries to convince Kopa to come to the "Shadowland" with her, but Kopa is hesitant to disobey his parents again. Asante finally convinces him to come, after telling him that there is a great river they can throw stones into. Upon entering the unknown land, Kopa forgets his fears and trots happily alongside his hyena friend. But no sooner are they in Asante's land, when they spot a dark cloud steadily approaching them. At first, Kopa thinks it's a swarm of locusts, but Asante instantly knows the true identity of the cloud. She exclaims to Kopa that a storm is coming. The cub is confused, but Asante points out to him that she could hear thunder. Kopa has never seen a storm before in his life, but Asante knows the danger of rain and lightning. She is also aware that the river could flood its banks. As rain begins to bear down on the cubs, Asante yells at Kopa to run. Eventually, the lion gives in and races after his panicked friend. The weather changes drastically and the storm moves in overhead. As rain begins to pelt the cubs from all directions, the river swells and starts to grow bigger and bigger. Soon, the ground gives way and Kopa falls into the river. The lion cub yells to Asante for help, but the young hyena runs off into the rain without him. Unbeknown to Kopa, Asante hastens to her friend, an old crocodile named Kroko, and begs him to help save Kopa. The crocodile is confused and Asante is forced to tell him what has happened. After hearing the story, Kroko agrees to help Kopa. After the lion cub is safely delivered to shore, Asante rushes to his side and begs him to wake up. Kopa is relieved to see that Asante is still here, and the hyena cub tells him that she had gone for help. Kopa thanks her and Asante accepts his gratitude. She then asks him if he can move alright. Kopa admits that he is exhausted and Asante decides to guide him home. Together, the lion and hyena journey across the savanna until they've nearly reached Pride Rock. It's been a long time since a hyena was brave enough to go so far and even Asante doesn't feel comfortable about it. Kopa is desperate for her to meet his parents, for he knows that if he didn't destroy the old hostility today, there wouldn't be another chance. But Asante stops before they can reach the pride and tells Kopa that they were even, as both had saved each other's lives. She then tells him that they don't belong together, which is why they must part ways. Kopa finally admits to this and dejectedly makes his way towards Pride Rock. But as he's walking, Asante suddenly catches up to him and tells him that she has changed her mind. She asks him if he still wants her to meet his parents and Kopa eagerly tells her that of course he wants her to. Asante admits that she is a bit afraid and asks Kopa if they really are friends. Kopa assures her that they are, then challenges her to a race. Asante teases him about his slowness and the two friends take off across the savanna. Fight for the Throne Because of Asante's friendship with Kopa, the other hyenas dare to venture further into the Pride Lands. One of the hyenas, Fisi, even goes so far as to arrange a fight between Simba and the cheetah, Kecho. Trivia * Asante has a fear of poisonous snakes. Quotes Reference Category:Animals Category:Characters Category:Female Characters Category:Hyenas Category:Non-Movie Characters Category:Protagonists Category:Semi-Canon Characters Category:Other Media Characters